A Little Kindness
by AnimationNut
Summary: The winter season is tough on street cats-and Top Cat and his gang are no exception. This winter proves to be a brutal one, but all it takes is one kind offer to make a difference.


**I do not own Top Cat.**

**A Little Kindness**

It was _freezing._

It was a record-breaking winter for Manhattan. The temperature had hit rock bottom, sheets of ice covered nearly _everything_. As much as Top Cat hoped and wished, Hoagie's Alley did not escape the warpath of the winter weather.

"Duh, T.C," Brain drawled, huddled against the worn-wooden fence of the alley. "My tail is frozen!"

Top Cat, their indisputable leader, reluctantly poked his head out of his trashcan abode. "Brain, exaggeratin' ain't gonna make things easier."

"What eggs?" Brain asked in confusion. Fancy-Fancy and Choo-Choo (wrapped up in a ratted blanket for warmth) chuckled at their friend's dimness.

Top Cat groaned. "Never mind, never mind! Sometimes I don't know why I bother." He leaned against the edge of the trashcan and glanced around the alley. "Ya know this whole winter deal is gettin' tiresome fast."

"Like, sorry, T.C." Spook spoke up, peering out over the edge of a crate he was huddled in. "We still got, like, a whole three months left!"

"Thanks for remindin' me." Top Cat grumbled. His whiskers twitched when a couple of fluffy white flakes fell upon them. Frowning, he glanced up at the grey sky. "You gotta be kiddin' me! I DON'T WANT ANYMORE SNOW, YA HERE?"

"He's, like, flipped!" Spook muttered. Fancy grinned.

"To be fair, there ain't much comfort in the alley during the winter season." He stretched his back, wincing as it cracked. "Ugh! I think my bones are frozen!"

"What did I say about exaggeratin'?" Top Cat warned, eyes closed and tail swishing lazily as he attempted to get his mind off the weather.

"_What _eggs?" Brain cried in exasperation. "And can I have some?"

"If I weren't so cold, I'd come down there and whop ya one." Top Cat grumbled. "Now _zip it_, all of ya. I gots some ponderin' to do."

For a while, Top Cat got a few blissful minutes of silence. But he didn't get enough time to think of a way out of their frozen predicament when muffled shrieks caught his attention. "All right, all right, now what?"

"Duh, that sounds like Benny." Brain pointed out.

The muffled shrieks grew more panicked and Top Cat sprang out of his trashcan in concern. "Come on, boys. We better see what that kid's gotten himself into this time."

"Ya'll go ahead." Fancy groaned, finding himself unable to move. "The cold doesn't do well on my bones. Hey, Chooch! I need your masseuse skills if I'm ever gonna move again."

Top Cat, Brain and Spook hurried around the alley and stumbled to a halt. There was Benny, standing next to a stop sign, with his tongue stuck firmly to the frozen metal pole. "Ah, geez." Top Cat groaned. "How'd you manage this one?"

Benny shrugged helplessly. Brain scratched his head. "What are we gonna do, T.C?"

"The only thing we can do. Pull him off." Top Cat grabbed hold of Benny's shoulders. Brain grabbed Top Cat's shoulders and Spook copied the action. "All right fellas, _pull!_"

With a great tug they managed to remove Benny from the frozen pole. The young cat let out a yelp of pain, the (now raw) tip of his tongue poking out between his lips. "Ow!"

"It's your own fault." Top Cat chided, nudging his second-in-command towards the alley. "How'd ya manage somethin' like that anyway?"

"I-"

"Ya know, I changed my mind. Some things are better left unquestioned." Top Cat shook his head with a slight grin.

"Ma tongue hurts." Benny mumbled, gingerly prodding the tip.

"Like, no kiddin'." Spook drawled. "Hey, like, where did Chooch and Fancy go?"

Top Cat paused and glanced around the alley. "That's a very good question."

"Maybe they went to get some food?" Brain suggested.

"We ain't got no money." Benny reminded him.

"Like, sadly." Spook added.

"They better not be where I think they are." Top Cat drawled. He marched through the snow and rapped on his trashcan. "Alright, alright, if you two dunderheads are in there, ya better get out _now_."

The lid slowly lifted up and Choo-Choo peeked out sheepishly. "Ah, sorry Top Cat. We couldn't resist."

"You better start or I'll knock ya one." Top Cat warned. The two cats obeyed and scrambled out of the can. Top Cat rubbed his forehead. "This ain't gonna work. We'll either freeze to death or end up killing each other."

"Ya know, you think we'd have solved the winter problem by now." Choo-Choo mused. "But every year it's the same old thing."

"It's a tough life for street cats." Top Cat agreed. "But seriously, anyone got ideas?"

"Duh, how about we huddle for warmth?" Brain suggested. "At least, until we think of somethin' else."

"I got it!" Top Cat snapped his fingers. "We'll huddle together for warmth until we think of somethin' else!"

"Gee, I wish I thought of that." Brain sighed.

...

Officer Charlie Dibble carefully made his way across the sidewalk. At his age, one slip on the ice and there was a good chance you wouldn't be able to get back up.

"It's been pretty quiet 'round here." Dibble mused, entering the alley. "I wonder what Top Cat and his gang have been up to."

He question was immediately answered as he came upon the group of cats huddled together against the fence, their eyes closed and an old blanket wrapped around them. It was clear that they there struggling to stay warm against the frigid winter weather. Dibble had forgotten that, while T.C and his boys could survive during the fall, spring, and summer, winter was the one part of the year where they floundered to survive.

And he always ended up doing _something _to help them. The sight before him was certainly tugging at his heart strings. _I'm getting too soft for this job._

"Alright, fellas, up and at 'em."

Top Cat's eyes shot open and he hastily scrambled to his feet. "Well, if it isn't Officer Dibble. How are ya, how are ya?"

"Better than you, I'd say." Dibble grinned.

"For your information, we're doin' just fine." Top Cat said indigently.

"We are?" Brain asked.

Top Cat facepalmed. Dibble shook his head. "I'm gonna regret sayin' this, but I'm willin' to help you fellas get through this winter."

"We don't need your help." Top Cat said firmly, miffed by the cop's earlier remark.

"Like, yes we do!" Spook exclaimed.

"This ain't a time to flip your lid, T.C." Choo-Choo added. "We're freezing out tails off!"

"_What did I say about exaggeratin'?"_

"_What eggs?!" _Brain cried.

"Hold it, hold it!" Dibble called, as Top Cat looked ready to bop Brain one. "I have to agree, this ain't a time to be stubborn T.C. This is a one-time offer and I suggest you take it."

Top Cat pursed his lips. As he rubbed his paws over his arms he knew that it would be foolish to deny Dibble's kind offer. "Alright, Dibs, ya talked me into it. Just what kind of help are ya thinkin' about?"

"You lot can stay with me-_just until the winter becomes bearable enough for you to come back to the alley_." Dibble said firmly. "Pull any funny stuff, and you'll be back in the cold before you can blink. Deal?"

"Like, deal!" Spook agreed.

"Deal!" Choo-Choo cheered.

"Duh, what deal?" Brain asked.

Benny nodded his head; his tongue had grown too swollen for him to speak distinguishable words.

"Sure thing, Dibs." Fancy promised.

"Well, T.C?" Dibble prompted.

"Alright, alright. Deal. No funny stuff." Top Cat agreed. "Uh...thanks, Chah-lie."

"Don't mention it. My car is parked around the corner-"

"Oh boy!" Choo-Choo cheered. "Heat and warmth!"

"I call shotgun!" Fancy raced out of the alley with his pals close behind.

"Whoa, whoa!" Top Cat hollered as he chased after his boys. "Who's the leader here, huh?"

Dibble shook his head in amusement. "Yep, they'll drive me crazy by the end of this week."

And he really wouldn't have it any other way.

**So this is my first Top Cat fanfic. I apologize for any OOC-ness, and constructive criticism is alright, but flames are not :)**

**This is a Christmas gift to all Top Cat fans xD**

**Happy holidays and Merry Christmas!**


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